Gender equality for Malay Muslims is not the same as what feminists want it to be, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary.
This came after Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob made a Facebook post to mark International Women's Day, which triggered criticism for allegedly perpetuating the patriarchy.
In Ismail Sabri's post on Tuesday, he said women's sacrifices were endless and incomparable.
The photo accompanying the post was of his wife helping him adjust his Baju Melayu collar.
This led to critics accusing Ismail Sabri of implying that a women's sacrifice was to help men and be subservient to them which failed to meet the spirit of this year's theme of breaking gender biases.
‘Equality is justice’
Marzuk said the criticisms against the prime minister showed a "narrow" mindset towards the meaning of equality.
"Equality for us Malay Muslims is not the same as the interpretation feminists want, that is absolute equality without exception," he said on Facebook.
The PAS deputy minister said in this mindset, any advantages "given" to men automatically become a form of oppression and discrimination towards women, regardless of justifications.
"But Islam is not like that. Equality for us is justice.
"Justice is not blindly giving what men have to women as it is usually understood, but justice is that each matter has its worth and place," he added.
Gender rights in Islam
Marzuk said for example in Islam, both men and women are given the right to work and support a family, but it is wajib (obligatory) for men to do so and only optional for women.
He said a husband's right to be obeyed freed wives of the responsibility of being a provider.
Meanwhile, a mother has more rights to be obeyed than a father - which comes with the responsibility of carrying in the womb, birthing, and nursing children.
Marzuk added that there are gender-exclusive rights in Islam, such as a man's right to practise polygamy, and for a women's right to receive financial support.
As for the government's International Women's Day theme "equal together", the deputy minister said he fully agreed that women's potential should be optimised.
This, he said, can be done by providing women fair opportunities and space to develop themselves and follow their own choices, be it as leaders, career women, or housewives in accordance with "limits allowed by Islamic law". - Mkini
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